Cherry Pie Pops

Pie pops are the pie version of cake pops: one or two bite pies that are on top of a stick. Pie pops are very cute to look at and they’re not difficult to make, so they are a great choice when you’re looking to do something a little bit less traditional with your pies – or simply want to put a bite-sized treat out for dessert instead of something heavy after a big holiday meal.

These Cherry Pie Pops are made with a homemade cherry pie filling and buttery, flaky pie dough. They definitely capture the flavor of a classic cherry pie. The only drawback to pie pops is that there isn’t a lot of filling inside of them. They’re only about 2-inches across, so they just don’t hold very much. This means that it is important to use a high quality, filling to maximize its flavor and a buttery, flavorful pie crust. I always use a homemade crust when making pie pops. Refrigerated or frozen crusts can save a lot of time (especially if this is an activity that you want to do with your kids), but try to opt for a brand made with real butter for a better flavor in your pops. You can also sprinkle sugar on top of the pies just before baking to give them an extra pop of sweetness.

I recommend making your pops 1 1/2 – 2 inches across. Any smaller and you won’t get enough filling inside. Any larger and your mini pie will have a hard time staying on that stick! You can use cake pop sticks as your sticks for these pies or, if you need something longer, you can use bamboo chopsticks. I personally like chopsticks because the pies can be a bit heavy depending on what size you make them, and the chopsticks are very sturdy even though they are a bit on the long side.

For me, these aren’t going to take the place of my regular, full-size pies, but they’re easy to make and fun to serve since everyone gets a big kick out of them when you put those pops out on a dessert tray.

Preheat oven to 400F.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is about 1/8 in. thick. Cut dough into rounds with a 1 1/2 or 2 inch round cutter. You should get about 24 rounds.
Transfer rounds to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Place heaping 1/2 teaspoon of cooled filling into the center of every other round (there may be filling leftover). Place a stick into the center of each filled round.
Take the unfilled rounds and pinch the edges to be flatter and thinner than the centers (this stretches the dough very slightly. Place on top of the filled rounds and press the edges into place.
Dip a form in a small glass of water and use the tines to firmly seal the pies.
Brush the tops of the pies with milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake for about 20 minutes, or until pies are golden brown.

In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring regularly with a spatula, until sauce bubbles and starts to thicken. Mash cherries with a potato masher until they are in relatively small pieces. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, until sauce is thick and cherries are tender.
Pour into a small dish and allow to cool completely before using.

Whisk together flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Rub in butter with your fingertips, pressing it into the flour mixture and breaking it up, until mixture resemble very coarse sand and no pieces larger than a large pea remain. Using a fork, stir in ice water until dough almost comes together into a ball. Press dough into a ball with your hands and wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 60 minutes before using.